Andrea Rosebrock 
Update 11/30/09 – More on Memphis Animal Shelter; Hundreds of Unexplained Deaths – VIDEO
Update 11/10/09 – Memphis Animal Shelter, Two Weeks Later – VIDEO
This cute little 6-month-old puppy, listed on paperwork as Puppy 199287, was admitted to the Memphis Animal Shelter on August 18. By all accounts a healthy little puppy but by September 4, only 16 days later, this little puppy was dead, a victim of starvation at the hands of the Memphis Animal Shelter! Necropsy results should that the puppy hadn’t eaten in at least three days, a necropsy cannot tell beyond that point but it’s obvious from the picture below that it was a lot longer than three days, there was no fat, no muscle left on the 6 month-old puppy’s little body. In less than three weeks, Memphis Animal Shelter turned a healthy 6-month-old puppy into a living skeleton!
It was pictures of this poor tortured baby, taken by an anonymous informant that led to Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies to launch the raid on the shelter last week.
“We did find some animals that were apparently not well-cared for today,” said Steve Shular, a spokesman for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. “We did find some animals that were malnourished.”
Volunteers from all over flew into Memphis to evaluate the animals, more than 200 dogs and cats, that were at the shelter. The found many malnourished, little food or water, sick animals housed with animal that weren’t sick. animals that were being quarantined for rabies house with the general population, vicious dogs housed with docile dogs. Deplorable conditions in the kennels and a number of dogs, at least three, starved to the point where they died or euthanization was necessary.
This picture was taken when the 6-month-old puppy was admitted
This picture of the same puppy was taken just two weeks later. |
The warrant cites a case where a dog was brought in looking healthy and in less than a month was found dead in its cage.
In fact, the warrant contains a report stating three dogs died from starvation and their deaths were a direct result of lack of care at the Memphis Animal Shelter.
The warrant says an animal autopsy shows the dog had not in eaten in three days, and had no fat on its body.
The warrant says numerous emails were sent to Ernest Alexander, Kenneth Moody, Angela Middleton and Ivan Russell detailing conditions, even including photos. Alexander is shelter administrator, Moody is a division director, Middleton is a Veterinarian and Russell is a Field Supervisor (News 3)
View and download the warrant HERE
View and Download pictures HERE (pictures include those shown above and are disturbing)
The death rate for animals in the shelter has risen dramatically in the past few years; from 75 in 2006 to 119 in 2007 to 193 in 2008. And complaints about the shelter have also been rising for years, complaints about sick and malnourished dogs, dirty conditions, rude employees but it took graphic pictures to finally get anything done.
City Animal Services administrator Ernest Alexander (current salary, $92,400) and at least 10 employees were temporarily relieved of duty, with pay, during the investigation. Amazingly enough, the shelter is back open for business and all employees have returned to their jobs!!
Volunteers and shelter employees have complained about the shelter, the condition, the treatment of animals for some time but no one has listened.
Theresa Sanders, who has rescued numerous animals from the shelter, says she’s tried to blow the whistle before about poor conditions at the shelter. “It was a long time coming. I have spoken out, the volunteers have spoken out, and some of the employees have spoken out before, and it seemed like we were talking to deaf ears,” Sanders says. “Somebody got the message to the right person.”
Instead of a complete overhaul, which I cannot believe anyone doesn’t think is needed, Mayor AC Wharton has formed an Animal Shelter Task Force to work as an advisory board and oversee the shelter.
Task Force members, which met for the first time last Friday include;
- A C Wharton, Mayor
- Jack Sammons, CAO
- Janet Hooks, Director of Public Services and Neighborhoods
- Shea Flinn, Councilman
- Dr. Chuck Brady, President of the Memphis Zoo
- Dr. Steven Tower, Memphis Animal Clinic
- Donald Burch, III, Memphis Animal Clinic
- Dr. Loran Snow, Berclair Animal Hospital
- Keith Robinson, Former Assistant Director of Animal Services for the City of Nashville
- Margot McNeely, Former Memphis Zoo Employee and Animal Lover
- Lucky Shaw, Former CEO and President of the MED and Animal Lover
- Holly Harris, Volunteer and Animal Advocate
- Sherry Rout, ASPCA
- Frank Jones, Retired 43 year Memphis Animal Control Employee
The agenda covered during Friday’s meeting was:
- Best practice procedures
- Training and retraining of shelter staff and personnel
- Expanding use of spay and neutering
- More robust plans for animal adoption at the shelter
One of the changes that will be implemented is that security video cameras will be installed throughout the shelter.
“It could be several months before any criminal complaints or indictments are handed down or are in place. But we can’t wait that long. This is why we are doing our own assessment of this situation with the help of professionals. And we will decide if discipline or termination is called for or warranted,” said Mayor Wharton.
District Attorney Bill Gibbons says he will consider charges once the investigation is complete. “At this point I would say we’re looking at anyone we have possible evidence on from top to bottom,” Gibbons says.
A White Collar Crime Unit has even been called to get involved with the investigation to look through shelter paperwork for improprieties. You can see from a July 2009 Audit (see HERE) that there were noted paperwork problems then, who knows what, if anything was actually done!
Based on what has been brought to light so far, I cannot believe they are letting the same people back to work in the shelter and the same director to run things. When someone is making almost $100K to run an animal shelter, to oversee employees, to make sure that conditions are in good order and animals are being well cared for, don’t you think that they could be considered as not doing their job when you find problems like this?
This whole thing is an abomination and a complete cleaning out needs to happen NOW!! Not months from now! Those involved need to be fired and charged with animal cruelty at a minimum!
Contact Info
Memphis Animal Services
3456 Tchulahoma Road
Memphis, TN 38118
Phone: (901) 362-5310
TTY: (901) 576-6501
Mayor A C Wharton, Jr.
City Hall
125 N. Main St. Room 700
Memphis, Tn 38103
Phone: (901) 576-6000
The poor pup went from cruelty to even more cruelty . Who ever is responsible is no better than Michael Vick . Scum bag losers should be all fired and charged , I wish I had the shelters E-mail
Oh that poor precious baby! A life so full of potential just snuffed out like that. I will never understand how this sort of cruelty can happen — and at an animal shelter no less! A place that is supposed to protect them from harm. This just breaks my heart.
Every single person at that shelter should be held accountable. No way could you work there and not see such suffering. But how do you see it and not do anything about it? Are you not working there because you claim to care about animals? That’s the part that I don’t get. Just so, so sad.
There is no excuse for this kind of treatment. Charges should be brought against the shelter staff, as they are killers. These people are sick, no animal should ever be denied food, water, and most importantly LOVE!
Contact info has been added for the shelter and the Mayor. Unfortunately I haven’t come across any email on web contact forms yet. Will update if I do. Thanks everyone, you know I share your disgust, anger and outrage over this!
D.
my heart aches for those poor innocent babies and I shake my head in disgust to think that these people where put in the roles of caregivers
What is wrong with these people that work in a environment to care for lost and stray animals and mistreat them so badly? If they hate these babies so much that they mistreat/starve them then they need to get out of the job either voluntarily or otherwise. I wish we could do to them what they do to these poor, poor babies. They do not deserve their jobs much less their pay.
O M dear GOD……this precious wee baby didn’t even have a name. this is so effing sad. i’m so sorry, little 1, that u were put thru such horror in u’r wee short life. now u’re in a much better place but it’s just not fair how u got there. i hope with all my heart that those that did this 2 u will b severely punished. u were a beautiful wee creature n i’ll keep u in my thoughts n prayers….bless u, sweet 1……..
Breaks my heart to see such cruelty and it is even worse that it was from people who were supposed to HELP and instead didn’t give a damn whether the baby lived or died and completely ignored it.
This is a GROSS ABOMINATION. I did not get through the warrant and pictures, but I took special interest in the Internal Audit document and, WOW, if that was a SOX audit of a public company with shareholders, the ineffective internal controls in and of itself could lead to shareholder litigation and action by the SEC against the company and its officers and directors. I mean, the BASIC, very BASIC of controls in handling money at the shelter is missing – Segregation of Duties. Come on, that is Business for Dummies 101.
This Ernest Alexander should be embarrassed as that report as it points directly at him. His resignation should be requested…no – DEMANDED. At nearly 100K salary??? The City of Memphis should be asking questions on his competence at running this division. Serious questions.
Andrea, take it from someone who has tried to fight the system, it will take years and years and years, and before you know it, the legal fees have eaten you up.
I have such a hard time with this poor little baby who went from bad to worse hands, but, the hands he came to should have been caring loving hands. Instead, it was a death sentence for this little one.
All of these employees and mr. big shot himself, should be relieved of their positions immediately, with no pay, and never ever set foot near any type of animal again. What they have done is MURDER – how they hell can anyone stand there and see that these animals are sick and dying and not do a damn thing about it?
This is still the good ol boy south (no offense anyone). We lived there for a while, and yes, it was beautiful countryside in the outskirts of Memphis proper, but I sure as hell did not trust anyone.
This has to be taken to a higher position than just the city of Memphis. The whole state government should be called on the carpet, because I bet there is a lot of hand washing there.
I’m saying this plain and straight from the shoulder ( not if)when this uprising starts and it is going to come to that, if these courts and everyone else involved in all this don’t start doing their jobs and taking care of all these lousy POS. Wars have been started over a lot less.
Animal lovers that are sick to death of the fowl stench of all these miserable inhuman vermin, that are never stopped and get that good old boy slap on the wrist, that have gotten to the end of their ropes with all that go’s on 24/7 . I being one of them! Will jump in with both feet and the dance will start. A very unpleasant dance for many, it will be.
They are all guilty where that little puppy died, that horible death. Why are these people working a job with animals? A job that should require humanes with humanity and obiously not what this and thousands upon thousands of other places have, none of. If I had the money I would close down every shelter, pound, puppy mill and anything else that didn’t pass the humanity test, and no, these people that do to these animals what is done to them, deserve no humanity, just the opposite. They should get 10 fold what they gave. There is absolutely No Excuse, None!
I was reading the task force agenda for their meeting. Maybe the first thing on the agenda should be” These Dogs Need To Be Fed Every Day And Watered And Walked And Combed And Loved And Treated With Respect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”Cared For!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And The Cats TOO and Any Other Animal Thats There ~ You all know ” A NO BRAINER!”
PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION ABOUT THIS!
Justice for Dogs Starved at a Memphis Animal Shelter
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/145/justice-for-dogs-starved-at-a-memphis-animal-shelter
My First Thoughts: Those Bastards (I apologize, but this is how I feel) ……… I am so angry.
There is an Indian legend which says: “When a human dies there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of that bridge waits every animal that human encountered during their lifetime. The animals, based upon what they know of this person, decide which humans may cross the bridge…and which are turned away.”
Twinny, I am with you on that one. I have read that legend before, and I know that animals have more insight that us humans do. Thanks for reminding me of that.
Contact all City Council members – click on their photos for contact info: http://www.cityofmemphis.org/framework.aspx?page=690
I’m just heartsick. Knowing the agony that precious puppy went through is absolutely horrible. There are no words….
Starvation is such a painful death. You can see the hope and light in her little eyes in her intake picture, and then the complete hopelessness and agony in that last. She clearly was NEVER fed the entire time she was there. How do these monsters sleep at night?
Andrea, I’m from the south and you’re absolutely right about the good ole boy syndrome here. It’s alive and well (unlike these precious animals) and I would bet that nothing is done to a single one of the people responsible for this. They will take forever to do the “investigation” and then it will just end up swept under the rug, while the people get raise upon raise in salary to keep doing these atrocities.
Well, don’t think the good ole boy network is only a Southern thing. I am aware of horrible corruption here in NJ is some of the state programs. Nobody wants to touch it because of nepotism and the good ole yankee boy network. The city *should* ask questions and that’s the catch phrase – SHOULD. Not saying they WILL. It will take a heavy hand from the state level such as the state attorney general to force the issue, as Susie states. And that office probably won’t step in unless there is serious financial fraud at the shelter.
That’s why I hope that “White Collar Crime Unit” examines every slip of paper based on that deplorable Internal Audit report.
And the real abomination is the treatment of all those animals. I agree, a clean sweep needs to be done. Every single employee there is guilty of the abuse that was uncovered. I hope the pressure continues.
Andrea, good luck with hoping the “White Collar Crime Unit” examines anything. Been there, done that. They think you are reporting fraud or anything along those lines, because you have an interest in it. They don’t listen, unless it happens to them.
I will put my “poison pen letter hat” on in the next few days, and send a letter to the gov of TN, and any and every state head that I can think of and find an address for.
This type of behaviour is usually swept under the carpet because these higherups always think and say “not in my state/city/town”. What a crock of crap.
I for one, would love to take a look at their books. Oh, I bet I could find lots of discrepencies….
I CAN’T EVEN SPEAK.
Janet, that gave me a giggle. Speak? As in Woof? or as in type out something that could be read by others?
Thanks for the giggle.
These people should get the same treatment, or they should be jailed and the key thrown away. There is no need for animals to be treated like this it is barbaric, the poor dog what a sin these people should really suffer, I am so angry I would like to kill them bad bad people that can do that to a defenseless animal I just want to cry.
This is probably only a tip of the iceburg , I just want to know who could take these pictures and not do anything ASAP .I’d grab the pup and take it home ,and no one would stop me
I can not even see through my tears to type.
UNREAL. How could anyone working in an animal shelter do this? Everyone of them including the administrator should be fire immediately. Criminal charges should be brought against all of them. They have no place being there. God help the other animals in their so called care. How can you have a love for animals and see this take place? Doesn’t any of them have a heart?
Yes, thank God the one that blew the whistle on that place.That person who ever it was must have been fighting to no avail for help or that person wouldn’t have had to go out of town for help. God bless you ,person. Who ever you are. One question, did they stop you from feeding and watering these victims?
Fire them all and press crimanal charges against the whole staff. I can’t believe that one person didn’t see what was going on and speak up. They obviously don’t have a love for animals. How many more animals at the shelter are going to suffer before something is done? Unreal.
People did speak up, no one listened.
D.
Just goes to show what can happen to you if you make almost a hundred grand a year, have a big fancy title and still do something Unimagineably Wrong. You get a Task Force to help you out. Loaded with people with big fancy titles and all sorts of important education, and tranining and experience to help you overcome and resolve your difficult problem. No way do you, or any of your staff, lose your jobs or your income, but you do get a “paid leave of absenc”,(that mnust be to recoup from all the hard thinking you had to do over the difficult problem you were trying to resolve).
Then your Task Force gets to spend more valuable time, tax payer money and waste of energies, while the animals still suffer, to make “plans” for The Plan on how to resolve this difficult problem. Well, here is a simple set of ideas, that a 5th grader could come up with, to help you uncaring, worthless, inhumane, cruel “officials” resolve this difficult problem.
1. FEED THE ANIMALS EVERY DAY
2. WATER THE ANIMALS EVERY DAY
3. CLEAN THE RUNS, CRATES, CAGES EVERY DAY
4. WELCOME AND USE GOOD VOLUNTEERS
5. TRY TO HAVE A CONSCIENCE AND ACT HUMANELY
Hope that helps you with your difficult problem. Every single person involved with this travesty, as well as the Mayor and any other person who is overlooking this and not acting immediately and decisively, should be relieved of their responsibilities. Task Force, my foot……Mayor Arranged Cover Up Committee is more like it.
Here is the saddest thing of all, this is not an exception to the the rule, or an anomaly, or a geographic issue, or any other excuse. Shelters across the land are guilty of equally inhumane and unconscionable behaviors, actions and practices. There are countless ACO’s, Shelter Director’s and elected officials whose primary interest, if there is any interest at all, is not the animals supposedly in their humane charge. It is an abomination, the Memphis Animal Shelter is simply today’s prime example. They should be ashamed to call themselves a shelter, a Death Camp would be more fitting.
I urge, no plead with, everyone to sign the petition and then write, write, write. Do not just stop with the Animal Shelter and the Mayor’s office. Write the State Attorney General’s Office, the Media, State Legislators, Memphis City Council member and anyone else you can think of. Write and continue to write, without that, it will be as Susie says…simply swept under the rug, some poor shelter minion at lowest level may get the ax and the big guns will just keep moving on.
The Memphis shelter has had a terrible reputation for years, this time there has just been more media focus. Without outcry, nothing will change. Puppy 199287 cannot speak for himself, he never could, and he has now been silenced forever. Be the voice that speaks for him and all his fellow suffers.
What was that you said about the Task Force?? It is already being publicly critisized. Check this out about Keith Robinson, Former Assistant Director of Animal Services for the City of Nashville
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=45874
THANKS for that link and info Andrea. Seems like a plan to me put on the Task Force a person who has been dismissed from another municipal shelter. Then let that person defend themselves, by announcing the dismissal was not for abuse but for bad interaction with volunteers. I hear that argument all the time.
As I said before, new to the job or not, it does not take a high degree of intelligence, not a Task Force the size of Homeland Security to mandate basic, decent, humane treatment for those in your care. Based on the Memphis Mayor, City Officials and The Task Force, you and I had better have one in order to make decisons on how to nurse, feed, bathe and clothe the children in our care. Heaven forbid they could think for themselves, not be concerned about making waves or not being PC and just take responsibility. A Task Force my foot!
Signed and will write as well. My first thought is always, how could people who wanted to work with animals do something this horrible to them? Than of course I think of people who abuse kids trying to get jobs that put their prey in their clutches and it becomes a bit clearer. We really need to get some rules in place to check out workers who have any vulnerable creature or human at their mercy. And how sad is that, how very sad.
That puppy was starved to death, probably left to fend for itself against other dogs and no one cared. But guess what, I am sure those workers had their meals and snacks and water, did that puppy have any of that no way. Are any of these workers malnourished or not eating, i bet they are all looking pretty healthy, let them have nothing see how they like it. these people or shits need to be brought to justice. there should be mnre investigations done at sheltres, pounds if there are still pounds left. and people caring for animals should be educated carry some college degree.
Thank you for helping the cause that many Memphians are fighting. The shelter, changed to MAS (Memphis Animal Services), has been in the news for years. Maybe the word shelter was excluded for reasons we now understand. It is in no way something I consider a ’shelter’.
The stories are on the web about problems within MAS that should have been stopped long ago. The public has complained, articles have been written in the local paper, the media has reported citizens concerns. Sadly, it has all been in vain. When A.C. Wharton was elected Mayor most felt a true change would come to Memphis and to MAS.
The ‘raid’ occurred in Oct. The general public did not see what was found until now. I have not been able to get the puppy’s photo out of my mind. I’m not sure I ever will. I think of other abuse and animals we don’t know about. For sure, had I been in that building, they would have had to call the police because I would have taken the puppies somehow. To know workers were receiving pay and getting ‘kicks’ from watching them starve to death is gut-wrenching. Just as disturbing, the abusers were allowed to go back to work, not missing a paycheck, and not being fired.
I realize it takes time for an investigation to be complete but, not one of the employees should have been allowed back into that building. I hope calls and letters to A.C. Wharton, the petition, or something, will stop the horrors. My fear is, like in the past, the media will drop the story and things will not change. When those in city government do not care, this is what happens.
I think we all fear, because we have seen it so often, that the media will “drop the story” and move on, as they so often do.
I know nothing of the current Memphis mayor, but cetainly do not think that the actions he has taken so far speak well of him or the changes that had been hoped for. It seems that he has adopted the same attitude that so many have about animals. If this had been about children in an orphanage, or patients in a nursing home, would he any other official been so slow to act and so lacking in immediate and decisive action? Would employees in those arenas been allowed to return to work and not face immedicate charges?
The idea of a Task Force, is laughable. It does not take great minds, impressive credentials, big titles, or any other higher accolades to handle basic and decent shelter care. It takes caring, humanity and the desire to do the right thing. It takes a conscience. It take moral decency. No task force is needed for those.
When those in municipal government do not care, then they should not be returned to office or they should be removed from office. When the media drops a story that is important to the community and its citizens, then they should be persuaded to pick that story up and carry it through to its conclusion. When this does not happen, in the end, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Why, because by not demanding the news we want, by re-electing city officials, by not demanding the removal of incompentents, or worse…we give them the power to not care, to do what they want to do. We do not stay the course, and our oppostion knows that we do not.
How do people become that way?
Hopefully all will be fired and replaced.
STARVE THEM!
How unfair. Look at how bad he looks.
Poor, poor, pooor baby. My words cannot even express how deeply I feel. I hope the people involved starve to death.
I still say , the person taking the pictures say enough is enough and react , not just report
I am fighting mad at these SOB money grubing heartless pieces of walking bags of vommit. I am emailing this article to everyone including President Obama, In fact I just sent one to him.. Saturate the airways with this babies picture and the ugly story that go’s with it. Send it send it send it non stop. To congressmen , senators, to the guy next door! Don’t Let Them Sweep This Under The Carpet! Spread Their Shame To The Four Corners Of The World And Back. Send A Copy To The Talk Show Host, Ellen D Or Opera. Get Inventive. Leave no stone unturned. This assinine mentelity needs to be stopppppped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Lets Get It Stopped
Right on Excalibur. Never quitting is the secret to winning, trouble is too many people look at the short view and not the long view. If we want to win for the animals and stop abuse then we have to recognize that we have to be in it for the long haul. Victory may not come in any single person’s life time, but it will come.
And add the Governor of Tennessee to list of contacts.
OOPS forget to add the Governor’s, the Honorable Phil Bredesen, web site with contact info. Not only his e-mail address, but in the top right of the page are links for contacting the First Lady of TN as well as the Cabinet. As Excalibur says, leave no stone unturned.
http://www.tennesseeanytime.org/governor/Contact.do
And here’s the State of Tennessee website link..check out all the great directory links available. And of course, the web site features all the great things about TN and the awards they have won. Maybe if nothing serious, complete and with justice is done about this atrocity, they would like to feature this Inhumanity on their site.
http://tennessee.gov/
Peggy Thanks, I got one out to the govenor yesterday and just shot one off to Opera Winfred too. This one needs P~L~E~N~T~Y of press.
The Commercial Appeal of Memphis Tennessee has an online, searchable database of city employees and their salaries. Here it is for the Animal Shelter:
Cartwright, Jamaica TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Anderson, Stacy M TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Elliott, Archie III TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Garrison, Lora Beth TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Hankins, Kirby L. TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Hunter, John E. TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Jackson, Shana L. TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Lanton, Glenn Lydell TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Lightfoot, Frank Jr. TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Stewart, Billy Dee TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
White, Willie L. TechAnimal Care Full-Time $36,753.60
Dunlap, Tracy C. TechAnimal CareSr Full-Time $37,499.54
Middleton, Angela D. VeterinarianAnimal Shelter Full-Time $86,520.20
This breaks no laws. Municipal employees and their salaries is public information.
Good job Andrea!
13 full time employees, and no one could do a damn thing about this little guy???? What about this vet, Angela Middleton, how about we write a letter to the vetrinary board, with our displeasure in her providing “care” for these poor babies?
Fire them all. Rotten self serving sob bastards. As long as they get their paychecks and feed themselves, all is well in their book.
THANK YOU Andrea. More info for action we can take.
But what a great deal for all these full time employees. Let’s see, almost 40 grand a year to not feed, water, clean, or report abuse and help those in your charge. That seems to amount to almost 40 grand to do NOTHING.
And what a great deal for good old Dr. Middleton. Almost 90 grand a year, with no cost out of pocket to run a veterinary practice, to not care enough to help these animals. What was she doing? And no claim for being overworked and “not knowing”. That would be the same as my saying that I, or any other educator” was “unaware” that a student in any of my classes was failing, no matter how many students I had. It will not happen, but not only should they all be fired, with the exception of dedicated whistleblower, but they should all be censured and lose whatever certification or licensing their profession requires.
I’ll bet the tax payers of Memphis are glad to know that their tax dollars are going for such good work. Just on these folks alone plus the “High and Mighty” Animal Service Administrator puts these salaries alone at over SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS a year. What a great use of tax payer dollars. What great reward for doing wrong…or at least doing nothing about the wrong.
http://www.wmctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=11445719
Raw Video: Mayor Wharton speaks to media (11-04-09)
Thanka for the link Kelly,
Stopping eutahnization is a start…now we just need to get them to put a far more active adoption and community outreach program into place, a more open and welcome to help, suggestions and changes attitude to volunteers and a far more open and user friendly attitude and policies to registerd and referenced rescue groups.
Here is a link for a media pole, asking if we think everyone involved in this should be fired. Let’s rock the vote on this one warriors!
http://www.wreg.com/wreg-fire-animal,0,2306975.poll
Right now it’s at over 97% YES the SHOULD be fired.
THANKS BONNNIE
Thanks Bonnie
RIGHT ON 97.7% YES to FIRE THEM..to quote the Queen In Alice in Wonderland..”Off with their heads”.
Here is some math fun…36 NOs….well there are 13 full time employees on the list that Andrea provided, then there is our good old Director Alexander himself…so now we are at 14….let’s give each one of them a spouse…..so now we have 2 people for each of the 14 employees….who would vote NO to firing…well that is 28 NOs …. just leaves us with 8 morons or fellow animal abusers to account for!
UH OH there are now 38 morons….
my God! why?!! these are the worse of all abusers, they are paid and trusted to care for them, and they were paid well for doing nothing, poor conditions at the shelter my ass, if the conditions are poor it’s because of them, this is inexcusable.
I don’t know when the petition will be sent to Mayor A.C. Wharton, or if it already has been. It is wonderful to see so many care for the precious 4-legged friends who cannot speak for themselves.
There was a vigil tonight at MAS, the turnout was good and the media was present. People are demanding Alexander, and MAS workers, be fired now.
Also, they reported Mayor A.C. Wharton will hold a media conference tomorrow. He is to outline his plans for MAS. Hopefully, all who were there prior to the raid will be fired and later prosecuted.
What does it take to get some effing competence in this country? What does it take to get the authorities to listen when the inmates are ruling the asylum? These buttheads pretty much violated every rule for managing a kennel population. Stuff like housing dogs under quarantine for rabies with general population animals is way beyond stupid, it’s criminal! An animal (or a person, for that matter)does not have to be bitten by an infected animal to get that disease, all it takes is getting sprayed with liquid or aerosolized saliva that contains the virus. I’m not even all the way through vet tech school and I could have done the job way better than this!
Hi Susan
Well said and good question.
While they would not have had the medical knowledge that you have when it comes to basic care, as in “Hey Dude, these dogs (and other animals) need food, water and clean cages” could have been planned, organized and carried out by a bright high schooler. As for have something in place to pay attention and CHECK comments, concerns, and complaints regarding animal welfare from employees, volunteers, rescue groups and even potentinal adopters, that same High Schooler with a couple of conscientious friends who CARED for animals, could have handled that also. But Memphis, they need a TASK FORCE.
Geez, you are so right, what does it takes to get some competence in this country? But then, look at the 2 to 3 thousand page health care proposal…that ought to tell us all that good, simple solutions based on common sense and decency and competency are no longer the way things are done. We have to have TASKS FORCES and COMMITTEES to make sure that everyone gets their slice of the pie, except of course for those who matter, In this case, the animals.
Peggy, just another case of the victim being victimized again and again!
You are so right D…..Maybe the MAS staff can blame the dogs..”it is all their fault because they had to eat”. Works for me. I am sure that if any, and I Hope all, are prosecuted, that some defense lawyer will try that as a defense.
A bit of good news…although the media poll still indicates that there are 38 morons the petition site for Justice is at 1,715 signatures….and they may either be overloaded, or servicing the site, as I have had three e-mails from contacts that I sent the sign this petition to telling me that they could not get the site to take their comment or signature.
You know everytime I see an animal die in a shelter with a number I always make sure I give them a name, you know so that they are somebody and they matter. With this little puppy I can’t for the life of me find a suitable name for that little face. Everything I think of falls short. She is not just a puppy but a being and if anyone can think of a name to suit her beautiful face and awful life here on earth I would really appreciate it. I cannot get her face out of my mind without a name so that she can be happy.
Franc, in the comments you will see a petition and on it they named this baby Justice and are trying to get justice for this one and the others who died at the hands of callous and heartless shelter staff. I too am bothered when they have no names.
D.
Franc
I so agree with you, and I feel that way about every animal I come into contact with either in rescue, shelter work or transport. When I transport, even when it is just a short leg, and any come with no name…they get a name from me while they are with me and when I meet the next leg transporters I tell them the name I have been using. Not only does giving animals in shelters give them some dignity it also makes it much easier to get them adopted. NOT giving them a name….”depersonalize” them, and let’s those in shelters distance themselves.
WHOA! This just in! Ernest Alexander has been FIRED. Google news it!
WooHooo!! Excellent news!! One down and how many more to go now?
This won’t bring the babies back but hopefully it will make sure no more suffer the same cruel fate!
D.
Yippee, and D you are right. This might just end the suffering for others.
YIPPEEE HURRAY AND RIGHT ON!!!!!! Just checked my e-mail on the way out the door to tranpsort and then meet friend for lunch….this is a call for a real celebration….First him and then all the rest……that includes the vet….there is not explaining away her part in this NONE….THANK YOU ADNREA….an all on my lists thank you,….
Fanfreakintastic!! Keep the pressure on friends. This shows we ARE being heard! Public figures don’t like public ugliness, and this is as ugly as it gets. If we keep the pressure going and be relentless, maybe the other 12 will get the boot. Then up next – PROSECUTION the fullest extent their laws allow!
Here is the link for the mayor’s news conference today, where he talked about the interim plans for the facility. He says they will make it to the same standards as a hospital. The interim person is an avid animal lover and formerly ran a hospital. It sounds good. I hope they follow through.
He even talks about all of the emails and calls they have gotten!
http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-shelter-changes,0,5149696.story
Thanks for this link Bonnie….it does sound good….and you are so right about keeping the pressure on..the pressure after the media publcity is what brought this about…after all it is not like it just happened two days ago and the Mayor acted immediately…no, it was publicity and ongoing pressure…as for the other 12…you are so right….in my book…at least the veterinarian…..how could she NOT have been aware….and if it is because she never made the shelter rounds..then what kind of shelter veterinarian is that…..fire and prosecute anyone involved who did nothing.
I appreciate all the links posted here, ty all, the comments to Mayor were wonderful, how encouraging to him and to us all! so glad that Alexander is gone, now for the rest of them >:(
What you did not address is that while the problems have been going on for years, Mayor AC Wharton took immediate action on these abomination his first full day in office. The past administration in under several Federal investigations and probably will be for this as well. Mayor Wharton should be commended for his quick action. There has been a new shelter in the works for several years now. I was on the committee to choose an artist for the interior and exterior decoration. It was not a priority for Herenton and ground breaking only took place in the last month or so. Things are changing –even faster than I thought they would.
Another mark against animal shelters. What the hell is going on in this world? These people are being PAID to protect, house and find homes for these little darlin’s. Not ignore them, make them suffer and die. Sick, sick, sick!!! I thank God we have people out there that REALLY care what happens to these precious gifts form God….ie: Rescue and all involved in that aspect. My hats off to you wonderful, kind angels and my sincere thanks. You all know who you are……….
Your okay now little puppy…you are with a lot of our baby’s and friends’ now……
I do not think it does any good to have cameras installed when they are placed where the aniamls cannot be seen. The lobby and kennel walk-throughs are visible but that’s it. This story broke after puppies were left in kennels, deprived of food, and starved to death. With cameras placed as they are, no one can see what, if anything, is going on inside the kennels. Since 90% of the abusers are still on the job, I think a letter should be sent to to A.C. Wharton’s email advising the cameras, as they are now, are worthless. I’ve sent one this morning.
Thanks Kelly
A good point, in addition I believe we should be sending e-mails and letters that the remaining, with the exception of the person who did the reporting, should be fired. There is NO excuse they can offer, and they should not be there. That they are does not speak well for the promises that were made or the desire to really put wrongs right. Anyone who excepts excuses from those who knew and did nothing, whether it was to save their job or they just did not care, either does not care or is more interested in a beign PC than they are in justice.
I remember in the Mayor’s news conference last Friday he mentioned those others are civil service employees and that requires a different way of doing things. My guess is he can’t just fire them because of that. But then I don’t know how civil service jobs are done and what the rules are. I HOPE that meant he was looking to fire them.
I so agree about the cameras. They should be in every room and with the capability to see the animals in the kennels. It was those types of cameras that have caught numerous horrors at other facilities, including even in the back of the shelter, where many times atrocities are committed.
I do give kudos to the mayor, since it was his very first full day in office when he dealt with all of this, and he took decisive stpes right out of the chute. Now the follow through needs to happen. Whatever it takes to give the civil service employees the boot needs to be swift and sure, with the exception of the whistleblower. She deserves the key to the city! This story has gone viral around the globe, thank goodness, so it stands a chance of not being swept under the rug.
Oh Bonnie
What a great point you have made… the CIVIL SERVANT, heaven forbid, “you know what” might freeze over before that is taken care of…but let’s hope they are pushing on that……a weird set up to be sure, but sure explains why the MAS has been so terribel for solong and nothing ahas been done.
Peggy Juliann, I agree with you about the employees. I did voice concern about them along with my concern that the animals cannot be seen. Like Bonnie, I think Mayor Wharton stated those remaining are civil service employees. I don’t know what it takes to fire one for animal abuse. Maybe they can’t be fired for it and that’s why MAS has been the ‘service’ that it has been for years. I was really disappointed in the camera setup. Eleven cameras and ten are in adoption rooms. Even there, the animals are not visible except for 2 or 3 in mobile kennels. I suppose other holding areas will be off limits.
The reply from the Mayor’s office advised…I am correct in observing the animals are not visible. They advised, the cameras give them a real time view of which employees are doing what and when. They pointed out conditions of animals being placed into kennels on ‘intake’ are visible. In closing, they advised, this is the first step and his office does not wish to promise at this time a camera system that can show the interior of every kennel as the purchase and installation of such a system would drain dollars that can be better used for purchasing food and providing training for employees.
Obviously I was mistaken in thinking the cameras were put in place for the public to view and assure no animal is abused, or left in a kennel to starve like the white puppy and others were. They are used to monitor employees. From what I can see the floors appear to be clean.
Thanks for that info Kelly. Glad to see that the floors appear clean.
I know I sound cynical about the cameras, although I agree with the cost issue of total monitoring, I do not agree with their decisions or where to place them. And quite frankly, it is PC talk to speak of have to spend (large) amount of money on training employees. At least to basic care, and these basic care were the primary concerns and cause of death and starvation. My 5 year old great neice knows that the “Doggies need food and that their water bowl is empty”.
Update 11/10/09 – Memphis Animal Shelter, Two Weeks Later – VIDEO
Well those so called employees might be Civil Servants but for gross neglect or derilection of duties they should be able to fire them.
Pouring salt in the wound…the large dog food companies, such as Hill’s Science Diet and Purina, have shelter assitance programs. They work with shelters to provide food at low cost, or even no cost, if funding is a problem or during emergencies [think California fires or Hurricane Katrina, Ike, etc]
Cheap or even free food…and those dogs still starved to death…
I have to go home now. I need to hug my dogs and slash open a few pillows…
Lack of food was never an issue at Memphis Animal Services. There was a complete lack of care and compassion for animals who were housed there. Per a news articles, “investigation found inadequate administrative oversight, a lack of documentation on paperwork, and missing paperwork. Wharton said some of that paperwork pertained to the use of euthanasia drugs.” I suppose if shelter admins and staff cannot keep up with euthanasia drugs they certainly can’t keep up with where the bags of dog food are, or for that matter, where the animals are that are starving.
Just goes to show that the overhaul and sweeping changes that the Mayor and Task Force claim to have made and will continue to be making really will be about “Sweeping”. Sweeping all the mess, and most of the culpability for all involved, right under the rug. Paperwork and documentation issues? No problem, as they have now hired and placed a convicted forgerer into the position as supervisor. Problems with records of fincial mishandling and inadequate record keeping and checks. With a forger on board in a supervisory capacity, no problem either.
With the decisions they have been making about these so called changes and improvements, there can only be one of two explanations. Their supposed changes are about politics, covering up, and protecting all they can or they are dumnber than dirt. So much for justice for the victims or any real concern for all the others who are and will be in their care.